My abiding memory of that match is of Roy Aitken, charging up the Main Stand side in the closing minutes to play a 1-2 with Colin Jackson before thumping the ball behind McCloy for Celtic’s third, then going on his own personal lap of honour behind the goal, his right fist raised high in triumph.
There was yet another brace for striker McGarvey the following week at Cappielow, Burns and Provan on fire in a 3-0 win as Celtic turned the pressure up on the defending champions Aberdeen, who lost at home to St Mirren.
Celts then made it ten straight victories in 1981 with a spectacular display against the Saints in mid-March. McGarvey was unplayable against his old team, hitting a hat-trick in a stunning 7-0 win. His second strike was perhaps the finest goal of his career, as he cut in from the Jungle wing, dribbled past defenders, somehow managing to stay upright despite being fouled, then unleashed the most glorious shot from 25 yards which flew past Billy Thomson into the roof of the net.
Parkhead was in raptures at this incredible moment, the referee appropriately blowing for half-time to allow the standing ovation to continue. This was the day we really started believing that the flag was coming home, Aberdeen losing to relegation-threatened Kilmarnock to fall four points behind the Bhoys. It had been an incredible turnaround since the teams had faced off at the end of December.
That goal defined for me the incredible striker which was Frank McGarvey.
The joke among the support at the time was that defenders would have no idea what Frank would do next, as usually Frank himself would still be considering his options at that time. He was a natural talent, slightly-built but brave in the face of atrocious physical abuse from defenders and capable of moments of genius.
His last act for Celtic was another case in point. In the 100th Cup Final at Hampden, in May 1985, Frank launched himself at a Roy Aitken cross to beat Hamish McAlpine with an impossible diving header in the closing minutes, to win the cup for Celtic and cement his place in our hearts and history forever.
I was genuinely sad to hear that he was being released that close-season, in the face of competition from McClair and Johnston, who manager Hay had settled on as his main strike partnership for 85-86.
However, back in March ’81, Frank still had business to settle. He followed up his St Mirren hat-trick with the final goal in a 4-1 midweek romp over Partick Thistle at Celtic Park, substitute Murdo MacLeod marking only his second appearance in an injury-ravaged five-month period with a couple of specials past Alan Rough.
